17th New Media Film Festival
17th new media film festival june 3 and 4 2026
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9500 Culver Blvd, Culver City CA Validated parking 9099 Washington Blvd
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17th New Media Film Festival® 

June 3–4, 2026 | Los Angeles

Real. Iconic. Connected.

Where Story Meets Technology & the Future Unfolds

Since 2009, New Media Film Festival® has redefined what a festival can be. Our mandate is simple and unwavering: honoring stories worth telling. We champion creators who push boundaries, embrace emerging formats, and share narratives that resonate.

From AI‑generated films to holographic comics, immersive worlds to classic storytelling, this is where the next big thing finds its first audience.

Our stages have welcomed Nobel Laureates, Oscar winners, Emmy legends, and breakout new voices — all united by a belief in the power of story. And with judges from Marvel, HBO, BBC, PBS, the Emmys, the Grammys, and more, every submission is seen by the people shaping the future of entertainment.

No politics. No pay to play. Just creators first.

Because the future doesn’t wait — and neither should you.

Celebrities Honored

Jeff Bridges

Socially Responsible Conservationist Award

“Thanks to the New Media Film Festival for honoring me with the Socially Responsible Conservationist Award, that’s really beautiful, it means a lot to me. And thanks for supporting our film, Living in Futures Past” – Jeff Bridges

Sir Paul McCartney

Socially Responsible Conservationist Award
– A Love Song to Earth

Special Presentation (during awards ceremony) – Love Song To The Earth video featuring Paul McCartney, Sean Paul, Colbie Callait, Natasha Bedingfield, Q’orianka Kilcher and others. Directed by Trey Fanjoy, Produced by Jerry Cope.

All proceeds from the Love Song project benefit Friends Of The Earth and the United Nations Foundation. Premiered with Ban Ki-mmon in Paris at UNFCCC COP21.

Ray Bradbury

‘Legend’ Award

Ray Bradbury was honored with ‘The Legend’ award by Hollywood celebrities at the New Media Film Festival in Los Angeles. The legendary writer for Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles and others, was supposed to attend the event and accept the award. But unfortunately, he passed away a week before the event.

Duncan Rouleau of Ben 10 fame offered tribute to the great writer and then introduced Oscar Nominee Sally Kirkland who accepted the award on behalf of Bradbury. The actress has worked with Ray during the shooting of ‘The Zero Hour’ and had auditioned for ‘Fahrenheit 451’, but her role went to Julie Christie instead. William Shatner’s tribute was read out by Brett Stimley who has worked with Ray Bradbury in ‘Kaleidoscope’.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Socially Responsible Conservationist Award

New Media Film Festival was proud and honored to present Leonardo DiCaprio with the Socially Responsible Conservationist Award for his Conservation dedication and efforts via Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation – Dedicated to protecting Earth’s last wild places and implementing solutions that create a harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world. This recognition stems from Leonardo DiCaprio’s opening scenes in Worst Shark Attack Ever which was programmed in the SRC – Socially Responsible Content Category in 2015. So, it is fitting that the Director of this film and International Surfing Champion, Veronica Grey accepted the award on behalf of Leonardo DiCaprio.

Directors John Carpenter and Roger Corman

Legend Award

“One bona fide movie legend will fete another.” – Entertainment Weekly
“I thank New Media Film Festival® for what they’ve done for young filmmakers” -Legend Award Recipient,  Director Roger Corman

Pic-Jimmy Steinfeldt

Testimonials

Matthew Modine

Emmy & Golden Globe Nominee 

New technologies have empowered and enabled creators outside of a studio or network system to make their own movies and develop cutting edge entertainment. Affordable cameras and editing software allow artists to create and express their skills for a multitude of new distribution platforms. We are presently witness of how storytellíng is being redefined in the 21st Century. New Media Film Festival highlights and showcases what will come next.

John Carstafrphen

John Carstarphen

Writer, Producer, Director

As an African American filmmaker, I’ve never felt more relaxed or inspired at a film festival. While #OscarsSoWhite is trending in Hollywood the New Media Film Festival 2016 has quietly shown the world how to honor content makers from across every discipline imaginable – and every ethnicity – without sacrificing its core identity. That’s an amazing feat, worthy of imitation. I think the New Media Film Festival is the future of film festivals. Congratulations!

Nicholas (Nick) Reed

Oscar Winner

The New Media Film Festival® seemed like an outlier when it started in 2009, with their strange categories, web series, 3D storytelling, digital comics, now all of a sudden these phrases are the new normal. The NMFF is always looking to the future, challenging creators, the market and the audience to discover new storytelling. There are not many festivals pushing the limits.

Paul Koretz

Paul Koretz

Council Member

The City of Los Angeles salutes and celebrates …New Media Film Festival, a celebration of the intersection of new technology and storytelling….continues to bring together cutting-edge technology, innovative storytelling, and world-renown talent to the City of Los Angeles.  Through caring deeds and steadfast ways, the New Media Film Festival has helped make the City of Los Angeles a better place in which to live and create.

If the TED Conference is where technology, entertainment and design meet in a broad forum, then the New Media Film Festival® is its cinematic counterpart. With films, trailers, shorts, digital comics and web series that highlight new advancements in technology, financing and convergence media, each entry is a chance to think differently about movies today. New Media Film Festival® honors stories worth telling, from a fully CG short based, to a documentary.  Watch movies shot entirely on drones, attend panels where industry experts riff on the future of web series and network with entrepreneurs who understand how new media is rapidly changing the film industry today.” – VG
Events

SPONSORS

Supporting Creators

southwest
Script Reader Pro
mongo cropped
susan johnston casting
marriott springhill suites
select services films inc
filmustage
Scriptwriters network
soundmind music
production hub
ifers
cinegear
vrxconnect
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MEDIA PARTERS

Sharing the stories of now.

poze magazine
rolling stone
British Cinematography magazine
partner
technologies for worship

Festival Reviews

Totally great festival offered more than your average film fest.

Donny Walker

An outstanding festival to be a part of, with excellent organization and communication, and opportunities to showcase our shorts ! Loved being a part of this film festival.

Dr. Susan Lim

New Media Film Festival® is one of the best and best run in LA. With so many different platforms falling under “new media” it’s refreshing to see a festival that understands that Content is King!  Alison Arngrim (Little House of the Prairie) & I took full advantage of the networking opportunities.

2 X EMMY Nominee Stephen Wishnoff

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About

Trailblazing Since Day One

new media film festival the first in innovation

We Were the First to Program

AI-Generated Film Cinema crafted by algorithms and imagination.

Touch Rotation Stories that respond to physical movement.

Holographic Digital Comic Comic art meets futuristic holography.

Immersive Distribution Experiences Expanding how stories reach audiences.

Micro Content Distribution Bite-sized brilliance before it was a trend.

AI Platform-Built Romcom A love story shaped by data and heart.

AR International Art Exhibit Augmented reality meets global artistic expression.

Collaborative V Screening Audiences become part of the narrative.

 

Tech Meets Talent

First Festival in Story & Technology Where narrative meets cutting-edge tech.

EMMYS® Consulting & Broadcasting Trusted by the best in the industry.

Live VR Pitch Funding A panelist funded a pitch in real time.

Feature Film from a 30-Second Pitch Big ideas don’t need big time.

 

Ahead of the Curve

Bitcoin Payment Integration Embracing decentralized creativity.

NFT Categories Recognizing digital ownership in storytelling.

And So Much More From AI to XR — we keep leading.

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Venue:
Los Angeles studio zone, California USA

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